Whiteville NC – A swift response by the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office turned a late-night vehicle theft report into an early-morning arrest. On Wednesday, July 29, at 1:43 a.m., deputies responded to the 11700 block of New Britton Highway East in Whiteville, where 54-year-old Lupita Noyola reported her 2026 GMC Sierra, valued at $25,000, had been stolen.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on a suspect. By 4:26 a.m., authorities had arrested 38-year-old Heliodoro Noyola Jr. of Chadbourn. He was booked into the Columbus County Detention Center on felony charges of larceny of a motor vehicle and possessing a stolen motor vehicle, as well as driving while his license was revoked for non-impaired reasons. He is currently being held under a $50,000 secured bond. Motor vehicle theft has been a pressing issue in the Carolinas, and local authorities are urging residents to double-check that their vehicles are locked and keys are removed overnight.
All individuals listed are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Charges and case statuses may change as investigations and court proceedings continue.
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